Source: Castro Agrees to 7/60M Extension (Option Year: 16M)

[Hairyducked Idiot]

What I'm saying is that there are hundreds of minority players who have played for the Cubs that have not been discriminated against by the media. Meaning I don't believe they are racist like some do. And every time a minority fits that description, somebody will have an excuse as to why he wasn't picked on. The bottom line is that there are reasons guys like zambrano have been focused on by the media. And it's not because they are hispanic

 

Remember that time Zambrano retired because he was having a bad season, abandoning the team, without coming back?

 

Remember when he wouldn't stop showing up opponents with a dance move on the field?

 

What about when he kept taking out younger players on binge drinking session before day games?

 

Or the time he choked his manager?

 

Punched a concession vendor?

 

Oh wait, those were beloved, untouchable white players.

 

If you can't see it, it's only because you don't want to see it.

[CUBZ99]

Actually, the Prior stuff just played to these type of base prejudices, since the underlying current to pretty much all of the criticism/jokes was that he was weak and unmanly, so just substitute one prejudice for another. Toss on the anti-illectualism because of his degree and the perception of him being "arrogant" because of it and you've got a nice, roiling meatball stew going.

 

The Wells stuff I honestly don't remember at all.

 

And you're right about the expectations with someone like Soriano, but again, I'd argue a lot of that is fueled by inherent frustration and resentment over "one of them" getting that kind of money. He's obviously a flawed player, but the unwritten goal with him has seemingly been to pounce on anything and everything he does "wrong" since he got here.

 

I mean, really, should be surprised that what fans often want, and what sports journalists often cater do, are just our dumber, more base instincts? And there's little more base than playing on our fears/resentment of "the other."

 

My kid is a huge Soriano fan, so maybe I am biased and try to block out the bad stuff, but could you please cite some examples of people pouncing over "anything and everything he does wrong since he got here"? I admit I do not have the best memory, but it seemed that most of the media members went to great lengths to talk about how hard he works and how great of a guy he is. For example, when Felix Pie was brought up, there were stories all over the place that Soriano (being the great guy that he was) let him live at his house and took him under his wing etc. I have heard several TV analyst fawn over Soriano and his work ethic. There may be a few members of the media that have been tough on him but by and far, Soriano was very well liked and a very popular player until his production slipped in relation to his salary. Once his legs started to slow down and his production dipped the criticism came from some circles and fans started being more critical of him.

[Sammy Sofa]

The "territory" is filled with really, really stupid people; that's the problem.

[Bryants Disco Ball]

What I'm saying is that there are hundreds of minority players who have played for the Cubs that have not been discriminated against by the media. Meaning I don't believe they are racist like some do. And every time a minority fits that description, somebody will have an excuse as to why he wasn't picked on. The bottom line is that there are reasons guys like zambrano have been focused on by the media. And it's not because they are hispanic

 

Remember that time Zambrano retired because he was having a bad season, abandoning the team, without coming back?

 

Remember when he wouldn't stop showing up opponents with a dance move on the field?

 

What about when he kept taking out younger players on binge drinking session before day games?

 

Or the time he choked his manager?

 

Punched a concession vendor?

 

Oh wait, those were beloved, untouchable white players.

 

If you can't see it, it's only because you don't want to see it.

 

I admit that I'm not a smart dude. So, I will say I don't understand what you are saying here.

[CincyCubsFan]

Don't call him that, he'll ban you from his Twitter.

 

Count me among the banned.

[Sammy Sofa]

It's almost comical how the drinking and whoring of guys like Grace and Farnsworth were just chalked up as "boys will be boys" shenanigans and a chuckle, nevermind one of them was spearing guys on the field and dishing out beatdowns.

[davell]

Soriano has caught quite a bit of [expletive] for not running plays out and a lot for his contract, which isn't his fault for taking what was offered obviously. Much moreso earlier in his deal than now, where I figure the reporters are truly shocked he's actually been productive at this point in the deal.

[Sammy Sofa]

Actually, the Prior stuff just played to these type of base prejudices, since the underlying current to pretty much all of the criticism/jokes was that he was weak and unmanly, so just substitute one prejudice for another. Toss on the anti-illectualism because of his degree and the perception of him being "arrogant" because of it and you've got a nice, roiling meatball stew going.

 

The Wells stuff I honestly don't remember at all.

 

And you're right about the expectations with someone like Soriano, but again, I'd argue a lot of that is fueled by inherent frustration and resentment over "one of them" getting that kind of money. He's obviously a flawed player, but the unwritten goal with him has seemingly been to pounce on anything and everything he does "wrong" since he got here.

 

I mean, really, should be surprised that what fans often want, and what sports journalists often cater do, are just our dumber, more base instincts? And there's little more base than playing on our fears/resentment of "the other."

 

My kid is a huge Soriano fan, so maybe I am biased and try to block out the bad stuff, but could you please cite some examples of people pouncing over "anything and everything he does wrong since he got here"? I admit I do not have the best memory, but it seemed that most of the media members went to great lengths to talk about how hard he works and how great of a guy he is. For example, when Felix Pie was brought up, there were stories all over the place that Soriano (being the great guy that he was) let him live at his house and took him under his wing etc. I have heard several TV analyst fawn over Soriano and his work ethic. There may be a few members of the media that have been tough on him but by and far, Soriano was very well liked and a very popular player until his production slipped in relation to his salary. Once his legs started to slow down and his production dipped the criticism came from some circles and fans started being more critical of him.

 

What I remember of the Pie stuff was people reacting with horror, much as they did when it was reported that he and Castro are buddies, like Soriano was somehow going to give them baseball AIDS.

[El Duderino]

I think it was Ramirez that was going to give Castro baseball AIDS.

[Sammy Sofa]

Soriano has caught quite a bit of [expletive] for not running plays out and a lot for his contract, which isn't his fault for taking what was offered obviously. Much moreso earlier in his deal than now, where I figure the reporters are truly shocked he's actually been productive at this point in the deal.

 

If they even mention it at all; most either focus on calling him and his deal untradeable or talk about his offensive production with the caveat of being on a terrible team, as if to say, "he's only putting up decent numbers when compared to garbage!"

[davell]

Don't call him that, he'll ban you from his Twitter.

 

Count me among the banned.

Did he proceed to DM you 5 times explaining how you're an idiot and how they have all deserved it and he talked bad about Prior on occasion, including links?

[Sammy Sofa]

Lee? What'd I miss on him?

 

Lee was criticized for being too quiet and not enough a leader, and then got raked over the coals when he dared suggest that he's encountered racist fans.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

What I'm saying is that there are hundreds of minority players who have played for the Cubs that have not been discriminated against by the media. Meaning I don't believe they are racist like some do. And every time a minority fits that description, somebody will have an excuse as to why he wasn't picked on. The bottom line is that there are reasons guys like zambrano have been focused on by the media. And it's not because they are hispanic

 

Remember that time Zambrano retired because he was having a bad season, abandoning the team, without coming back?

 

Remember when he wouldn't stop showing up opponents with a dance move on the field?

 

What about when he kept taking out younger players on binge drinking session before day games?

 

Or the time he choked his manager?

 

Punched a concession vendor?

 

Oh wait, those were beloved, untouchable white players.

 

If you can't see it, it's only because you don't want to see it.

 

I admit that I'm not a smart dude. So, I will say I don't understand what you are saying here.

 

Athletes are almost universally jerks. People are jerks, and athletes are people who are put into lives where their jerkish tendencies are coddled and encouraged.

 

The media in Chicago, especially that around the Cubs, tends to let jerkiness slide if they like the athlete enough, and being white is a great head start.

 

Ron Santo had a list of bad deeds that would make Carlos Zambrano look like a candidate for sainthood, but one is run out of town and the other is still having his rigor mortised corpse lovingly caressed.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Don't call him that, he'll ban you from his Twitter.

 

Count me among the banned.

Did he proceed to DM you 5 times explaining how you're an idiot and how they have all deserved it and he talked bad about Prior on occasion, including links?

 

All I got was a "what the hell are you babbling about" message.

[jersey cubs fan]

My kid is a huge Soriano fan, so maybe I am biased and try to block out the bad stuff, but could you please cite some examples of people pouncing over "anything and everything he does wrong since he got here"? I admit I do not have the best memory, but it seemed that most of the media members went to great lengths to talk about how hard he works and how great of a guy he is. For example, when Felix Pie was brought up, there were stories all over the place that Soriano (being the great guy that he was) let him live at his house and took him under his wing etc. I have heard several TV analyst fawn over Soriano and his work ethic. There may be a few members of the media that have been tough on him but by and far, Soriano was very well liked and a very popular player until his production slipped in relation to his salary. Once his legs started to slow down and his production dipped the criticism came from some circles and fans started being more critical of him.

 

Sometimes I feel like people don't follow the same Cubs team that I follow.

[davell]

Lee? What'd I miss on him?

 

Lee was criticized for being too quiet and not enough a leader, and then got raked over the coals when he dared suggest that he's encountered racist fans.

Geez. I don't even remember any of that. Awful. So basically he caught tons more than even a [expletive] Theriot. Unreal.

[CUBZ99]

What I'm saying is that there are hundreds of minority players who have played for the Cubs that have not been discriminated against by the media. Meaning I don't believe they are racist like some do. And every time a minority fits that description, somebody will have an excuse as to why he wasn't picked on. The bottom line is that there are reasons guys like zambrano have been focused on by the media. And it's not because they are hispanic

 

Remember that time Zambrano retired because he was having a bad season, abandoning the team, without coming back?

 

Remember when he wouldn't stop showing up opponents with a dance move on the field?

 

What about when he kept taking out younger players on binge drinking session before day games?

 

Or the time he choked his manager?

 

Punched a concession vendor?

 

Oh wait, those were beloved, untouchable white players.

 

If you can't see it, it's only because you don't want to see it.

 

Are all of these examples of acts by the same player? To claim that Zambrano's criticism was related to one dumb/misguided event is false.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Are all of these examples of acts by the same player? To claim that Zambrano's criticism was related to one dumb/misguided event is false.

 

Several of them are Ron Santo, one is Ryne Sandberg, one is Mark Grace.

[davell]

Who was the binge drinking and concession stand puncher? I vaguely remember the punch, but not who did it?

[El Duderino]

Binge drinking has to be Grace.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Who was the binge drinking and concession stand puncher? I vaguely remember the punch, but not who did it?

 

Binge drinking was Grace. Punching a concession stand worker was Santo. And that's not even half of Santo's list.

[davell]

Don't call him that, he'll ban you from his Twitter.

 

Count me among the banned.

Did he proceed to DM you 5 times explaining how you're an idiot and how they have all deserved it and he talked bad about Prior on occasion, including links?

 

All I got was a "what the hell are you babbling about" message.

I guess I really struck a nerve then.

[KingCubsFan]

Who was the binge drinking and concession stand puncher? I vaguely remember the punch, but not who did it?

 

Binge drinking was Grace. Punching a concession stand worker was Santo. And that's not even half of Santo's list.

Santo is a horrible example though. The only reason he didn't get into the HOF was because the media hated him.

[flyseye]

What I'm saying is that there are hundreds of minority players who have played for the Cubs that have not been discriminated against by the media. Meaning I don't believe they are racist like some do. And every time a minority fits that description, somebody will have an excuse as to why he wasn't picked on. The bottom line is that there are reasons guys like zambrano have been focused on by the media. And it's not because they are hispanic

 

Remember that time Zambrano retired because he was having a bad season, abandoning the team, without coming back?

 

Remember when he wouldn't stop showing up opponents with a dance move on the field?

 

What about when he kept taking out younger players on binge drinking session before day games?

 

Or the time he choked his manager?

 

Punched a concession vendor?

 

Oh wait, those were beloved, untouchable white players.

 

If you can't see it, it's only because you don't want to see it.

 

It would appear that all of the incidents you cite got enough press that you continue to remember them,even though you were but a tyke,or not yet born when many of them happened. Bad example.

[flyseye]

Oh, and to be clear you are talking about the Mark Grace who got run out of town after the 2000 season, and the Ron Santo who never got into the HOF until he was dead, and the Ryne Sandberg who cant get a major league coaching contract, correct ? I applaud those who make an effort to stand up to racism, but some of the posturing on this board is WAY over the top.